Cyanid in the form of granules.



F. AB'EGG. CYANID [N THE FORM OF. GRANULES' APPLICATION FILED JUNE 23. 1914.

1,3254% 1aten t edJuly- 10,1917".

FRITZ AIBEGG, 0F PERTH AMBOY, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO THE ROESSLER & HASSLACHER CHEMICAL (30., OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

CYANID IN THE FORM OF GRANULES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 10, 1917.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRrrz ABEGG, a citizen of the Republic of Switzerland, residing at Perth Amboy, county of Middlesex, and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Cyanids in the Form of Granules, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to the production of chemicals in a finely divided state and has for its special object the production of cyanids in the form of granules so as to permit all desirable facilities in utilization of same.

Hitherto cyanids have been brought to market in the form of large cakes obtained by solidifying molten cyanids in a flat pan of about 20x12x6. In view of the melting point of sodium cyanid for instance, lying at about 550 C., it is obvious from these measurements that it takes quite some time before such a cake is sufficiently hardened to permit further handling for shipping. The loss of time thus incurred as well as the losses in subdividing the cakes gave rise to the desire to bring the cyanid into a form which would permit a quick solidification of the mass and simultaneously also afford greater facilities for its ultimate preparation for shipment according to the requirements of the market.

Cyanids, of which sodium cyanid may be chosen as an example as sodium cyanid is the most suitable cyanid for technical purposes, apparently display such physical properties as to fall in line with several chemicals already brought very conveniently into a finely divided form by bringing little drops of the respective chemicals into contact with a cooled metal plate. Such chemicals, as for instance sodium hydrate, are molten and are then dropped on a cooled iron plate; the little grain or scale solidifies immediately and in contracting detaches quickly and completely from the iron plate w1thout leaving any traces.

Cyanide, however, cannot be brought thus easily into small cakes or other like suitable forms desired by the trade, as the cyanids, in comparison with chemicals such as sodium hydrate for instance, show one considerable drawback inasmuch as cyanids pass through a peculiar state of paste-like consistency when they are turning from the liquid to the solid state or vice versa. In

the commercial this state the cyanids are sticky and will adhere to iron surfaces for example this particular property becoming a great annoyance 1n operations calculated to shape them into small forms by mechanical means. This drawback causes many difficulties especially if great masses of cyanid are to be made ready for the market, as any machine used for the forming process will gradually take up so much heat from the molten cyanids as to keep the cyanid in the pasty form; the molded pieces are then inevitably deformed when discharged unless cooling of the molds is resorted to.

Although cyanid in the form of granules is highly desirable in the arts, its means of manufacture has not been at all obvious because of the difiiculties stated. I have succeeded, however, in producing cyanid, specifically sodium cyanid, in this form and shall describe one way which I have found satisfactory in making it, reference being had to the accompanying drawings which illustrate, in rather a diagrammatic way, one form of apparatus suitable for the purpose.

In the drawings Figure 1 is a diagrammatic view, partly in section, showing one form of apparatus by means of which cyanlid may be produced in the form of granu es;

Fig. 2 is an elevation on a greatly enlarged scale, of one form of granule produced by said apparatus; and

Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail view of a portion of the apparatus.

The apparatus as shown preferably comprises a vessel 1 which: is connected by means of a pipe 2 with the top of a smaller vessel 3; a mass of wet asbestos 4 may be applied to pipe 2 at any exposed portion of the pipe between vessels 1 and 3 and serves for freezing the molten cyanid passing through the pipe and thus interrupting the connection between 1 and 3 if desired. A bent pipe 5 is fitted with its lower arm extending into vessel 3 and nearly reaching the bottom of the same; 6 is a cap on the upper end of pipe 5 provided with a rather fine hole 7 in its center, a plate 8 being attached to the cap 6 in such manner that the inner edge of the free end of 8 is in a plane with hole 7, the jet of molten cyanid forming a right angle with the plane of the top of the cap. Vessel 1 may be closed by a suitable cover 9 provided with an opening 10 through which any suitable compressed gas may be admitted. Vessel 1 and vessel 3 and the upper end of pipe 5 may be heated by means of burners 11, 12 and 13 respectively. In the operation of the apparatus described I proceed as follows:

Sodium cyanid is charged into vessel 1, the connection with vessel 3 being interrupted, and heated until it is freely liquid, whereupon pressure is exerted on the same by passing compressed gases into vessel 1 through opening 10. As soon as the pressure within vessel 1 has risen high enough to stay at about 5 atmosphere the connection to vessel 3 is established and the liquid cyanid passes into the same.

The gases which are found to occasionally emanate from the molten cyanid are intercepted in the upper part of vessel 3, the latter, as well as the upper end of pipe 5 being heated to a tem erature high enough to prevent any solidi cation of cyanid. It is evident that the pressure of the weight of the column of cyanid increased by the pressure of the gases drives the molten cyanid up into pipe 5 and out through hole 7 in a fine jet, to be finally spread into a fine shower of drops on contacting with the inner edge of plate 8. The fine drops thus obtained are in liquid form when thrown into the air and the resistance of the air to each of these little fluid masses is of the greatest importance for the future form of the same.

During the course throu h the air an infinitely fine film of fuse cyanid on the outside of the drop is constantly pressed backward by the resisting air and as the mass of the little drop rapidly, though gradually, gives off all its heat, it is obvious that the phenomena of solidification take place in an extremely short time and that for this reason the pasty state of the little drop soon gives way to a perfect solidification, but, on the other hand, owing to the gradual though rapid loss of heat and the fine film of cyanid being pressed backward by the resistance of the air, said film solidifies so quickly that the drop has not time enough to preserve its round form. The very important consequence of this quick solidification is the fact that practically all the little drops or granules obtained by the practice of my invention are hollow and open at one side or end, resembling the shell of an empty egg opened at one side or end only, as illustrated in Fig. 2. Even the comparatively small number of solidified drops which take on an approximately round form and therefore appear to be closed all around, are thin on the one end, (open in the other form), and open up almost immediately in water.

The influence of the resistance of the air to the flying drops of liquid cyanid smooths the surface of the flying drops and thus glazes the same in the most perfect way.

Quite in agreement with the well known experience that highly polished or glazed surfaces are very much less affected by gases or vapors or the like influences than other surfaces of the same material displaying no smooth surface, the little drops obtained by my invention, glazed on both inside and outside, are of considerably greater resistance to humidity or other agents affecting cyanids than any other form known up to now in the art.

It is evident that the form given to cyanids by my invention is highly meritorious because the granules can easily be made rather uniformly of approximately-the size of a barley corn and offer therefore an enormously greater surface than a quantity of cyanid of the same weight and usual form, These little grains or granules however, in addition, nearly double the surface already so greatly extended, owing to the hollow inside, and when put into water they therefore dissolve with a rapidity hitherto unknown of any commercial cyanid.

In regard to shipping, this new article o manufacture affords great facilities, as the grains of cyanid may be very conveniently collected in any suitable device to be immediately therefrom packed into the containers used for shipment.

I do not claim any special form of apparatus as I am aware that the apparatus in itself may be greatly varied in carrying out the process; vessel 3 for instance may be attached to the apparatus or may be omitted as may be deemed convenient; if omitted pipe 5 with the described appurtenances is attached directly to pipe 2.

The chemicals which are submitted to the operation of the process as described may also be blown for instance into a suitable chamber having an atmosphere free from any agent liable to act on the aforesaid chemicals; in the case of cyanid such harmful agents which are found in air and may eventually be excluded are carbonic acid 115 gas, water vapor, etc., whereas in many other cases oxygen may be such detrimental factor.

What I claim is 1. As a new article of manufacture, cyanid in the form of a hollow granule.

2. As a new article of manufacture, cyanid 1n the form of a hollow granule, open at one end.

3. As a new article of manufacture, cyanid in the form of a hollow granule, open 125 at one end, and glazed on both its outside and inside.

4. As a new article of manufacture, sodium cyanid in the form of a hollow granule.

5' As a new article of manufacture, so- 130 dium cyanid in the form of a hollow granule,

open at one end, and glazed on th its 7 outside and inside.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

FRITZ ABEGGQ Witnesses:

0110 K. ZWINGENBEBGER, CATHERIN A. Cosmo. 

